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cnbc.com
Intel's stock has best day since 1987, soaring 24% as chipmaker shows signs of a turnaround
Shares of Intel have more than doubled this year on optimism that backing from the government will help the company's position in AI.
cnbc.com
Nvidia stock closes at record, pushing market cap past $5 trillion
Nvidia's stock closed at its first record since October, as a rally in Intel pushed chipmakers higher.
bbc.com
China car giant BYD says it can thrive without US
With the price of fuel rising China's BYD says it is positioning itself to benefit from the global shift away from fossil fuels.
cnbc.com
Nuclear reactor company X-energy shares surge 27% as AI drives interest in its IPO
Advanced nuclear reactor company X-energy began trading Friday as the AI boom and electrification broadly spark a flurry of interest in the nuclear industry.
cnbc.com
Clock ticks on Spirit Airlines as bondholders weigh Trump bailout. Here's what could happen next
President Trump has said the government could buy Spirit.
cnbc.com
Kushner, Witkoff — not Vance — heading to Pakistan for 'direct talks' with Iran, White House says
President Donald Trump said he is in no rush to make a peace deal, claiming the Iran war has harmed stocks and oil prices less than he expected.
cnbc.com
Buying chip stocks is getting pricey. Traders don't care
The VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH) tracking the sector is up more than 30% this month.
bbc.com
US justice department drops probe into Fed chairman Jerome Powell
President Donald Trump had accused Powell of improper cost overruns in renovating the Fed's building.
cnbc.com
How a new Amazon-backed Hollywood production startup deploys AI for speed and cost-cutting
A new AI-powered hybrid Hollywood startup backed by AWS is betting that cutting-edge production tech can cut costs, speed up filming and bring jobs back to LA.
cnbc.com
DOJ ends Powell probe, lifts hurdle for Trump’s Fed chair nominee Warsh
President Donald Trump's nomination of Kevin Warsh to replace Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell had been effectively blocked because of the investigation.
cnbc.com
20,000 job cuts at Meta, Microsoft raise concern that AI-driven labor crisis is here
Meta said it's cutting 10% of its workforce, just as Microsoft announced that it's offering employee buyouts for the first time in its 51-year history.
cnbc.com
Regeneron weighs overseas price for Otarmeni, gene therapy for rare type of hearing loss
Regeneron will make its newly approved gene therapy available for free in the U.S. The company hasn't yet decided how much it will charge in other countries.
cnbc.com
Google to invest up to $40 billion in Anthropic as search giant spreads its AI bets
Anthropic said its latest agreement with Google expands on a longstanding partnership between the two companies.
theguardian.com
US justice department drops criminal investigation against Jerome Powell
Move will remove obstacle for confirmation of Kevin Warsh, Trump’s pick to replace Powell as Federal Reserve chairSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxThe US Department of Justice is dropping its criminal investigation against the Federal Reserve chair, Jerome Powell, clearing the path for Donald Trump’s new nominee for chair to be confirmed.Jeanine Pirro, Trump’s appointed US attorney for the District of Columbia, said in a social media post that she had directed her office to close its investigation into renovations at the Fed headquarters that went over budget. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
TikTok and Visa launch debit card to speed payouts to UK creators
Creator card is designed for people making money through TikTok Live, some of whom complain of payment delaysTikTok and Visa have launched a debit card for content creators in the UK which they say will allow people to quickly access their earnings from the platform.The creator card is designed for the growing numbers of people making money through TikTok Live, a livestreaming feature where creators receive virtual gifts from viewers that are later converted into cash. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Officials hugely underestimated impact of AI datacentres on UK carbon emissions
Revised figures increase fears about energy-intensive datacentres worsening climate emergencyThe UK government vastly underestimated the climate impact of artificial intelligence, it has emerged, after officials raised their estimate of carbon emissions from AI by a factor of more than 100.According to new data quietly published this week, energy use by AI datacentres in the UK could cause the emission of up to 123m tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO₂) – about as much as generated by 2.7 million people – over the next 10 years. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Bessent defends U.S. dollar swap lines as Iran war harms global finances
President Donald Trump, asked on CNBC's "Squawk Box" this week about a possible UAE swap line, appeared to say he is in favor of it.
cnbc.com
European stocks fall as ceasefire optimism fades; Novo jumps after Lilly weight loss pill prescription data
European stock markets finished broadly lower on Friday, as uncertainty over a potential U.S.-Iran peace deal weighs on investor sentiment.
theguardian.com
‘Look, no hands’: China chases the driverless dream at Beijing car show
As domestic sales slow, manufacturers are investing in AI and seeking growth in technology and in overseas marketsAt the world’s biggest car fair, which opened in Beijing on Friday, there were hundreds of manufacturers, more than 1,000 vehicles, hundreds of thousands of enthusiasts – and hardly anyone behind a wheel.China’s car companies have cornered the domestic electric vehicle market, and are increasingly visible on the global stage. Now they are turning their attention to what they are betting is the future of mobility: autonomous driving. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
UK eases airline penalties as jet fuel shortages threaten flights
Carriers will retain airport slots if they cancel services as passengers are urged to continue with travel plansPenalties on airlines that cancel UK flights because of jet fuel shortages have been eased, it has emerged, as the government issued fresh advice to reassure the public they can still fly and should stick to travel plans.Airlines that cancel owing to a lack of fuel will not lose their rights to valuable takeoff and landing slots at busy airports, which can be forfeited when flights fail to operate over a period. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
AMD shares soar 12% on no company news. Here's what has investors so excited
Intel's strong quarter is driving sharp gains in another chipmaker.
theguardian.com
Revealed: Axel Springer skipped due diligence before £575m Telegraph takeover
Sources say German group may struggle to recoup its investment as titles shift to less profitable modelsAxel Springer did not complete due diligence on the Telegraph before sealing its £575m takeover, with sources saying the German media company could struggle to recoup its eye-watering investment as the titles shift toward less-profitable digital subscribers.To wrap up the deal quickly, Mathias Döpfner, the chief executive of Axel Springer, decided to forgo the usual extensive due diligence process to vet the value and prospects of a company, according to multiple sources. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Wall Street's 'fear gauge' is doing something unusual. What it means
The S&P 500 touched record highs Thursday morning, but the Cboe Volatility Index (VIX) remained stuck near 20 and is up from five days ago.
theguardian.com
Retail sales rise in Great Britain after Iran war prompted ‘panic at the pumps’
Rise of 0.7% in March was spurred by motorists filling their tanks, and the sun helping clothing and footwearBusiness live – latest updatesMotorists stocking up on fuel helped to push up retail sales in Great Britain last month as the Iran war prompted “panic at the pumps” amid rapid rises in petrol and diesel prices.The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the volume of retail sales rose by 0.7% last month, well above analysts’ forecasts of just 0.1%. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Procter & Gamble earnings beat estimates as sales grow 7%
The company reiterated its full-year forecast for earnings and sales.
bbc.com
Island's inflation rate is 2.7%, new figures show
Statistics Jersey says there have been "sharp increases" in some energy prices.
theguardian.com
Stock markets will fall, Bank of England deputy governor says
Sarah Breeden predicts ‘adjustment’ due to elevated risk including private credit and highly valued AI stocksBusiness live – latest updatesRecord-high global stock markets do not reflect the risks in the global economy, and will fall back, a deputy governor at the Bank of England has said.Sarah Breeden, the deputy governor for financial stability at the Bank, fears that macroeconomic risks are not fully priced into equity markets. She cited concerns about private credit markets, highly valued artificial intelligence stocks, and other “risky valuations”. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Germany’s economy was set to rebound. But soaring energy prices have derailed Europe's biggest comeback
Fiscal spending is now a critical tailwind for Germany's economy, as the Iran war hammers its growth outlook.
theguardian.com
‘I’m spending my house deposit savings to pay off my postgrad student loan’
Lucy O’Brien was shocked when she discovered how high interest rates were leading to ballooning debtLike many of my drowning-in-debt “plan 2” student loan comrades, I didn’t think twice about diving straight into a master’s degree, bright-eyed and fresh out of my undergraduate course in 2021.To say I was naive to the additional financial burden would be an understatement. Even less did I think that, four years after finishing my master’s, I’d be using the savings money I’ve built up – which I’d planned to put towards a deposit to buy my first property – to pay back my postgraduate loan in full. And yet here I am. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Trump warns of ‘big tariff’ if UK doesn’t drop digital services tax on U.S. tech firms
The tax is a 2% levy on the revenues of search engines, social media services and online marketplaces that derive value from U.K. users.
cnbc.com
Porsche is selling its Bugatti Rimac stake and walking away from Rimac
The automotive industry has grappled with mounting pressure to consolidate amid slowing growth, rising costs and intensifying margin pressure.
cnbc.com
TSMC shares jump to record high as Taiwan eases single-stock investment caps for funds
TSMC, whose shares had a hit a record high on Thursday as well, last week reported a 58% increase in first-quarter profit.
cnbc.com
Foreign car companies bet on technology to hang onto once-lucrative China auto market
U.S., Korean and German automakers announced a rush of new, tech-enabled cars at the Beijing Auto Show as they battle a sales slump
bbc.com
Which airlines are cancelling flights to the UK - and what can you do?
Airlines are putting up prices and cancelling flights in response to higher jet fuel prices.
theguardian.com
‘Dumb mistake’: Mayfair club Annabel’s gave managers bonus from staff service charge
Exclusive: Owner says private members venue is changing policy after revolt over division of pre-Christmas moneyThe restaurant tycoon Richard Caring has admitted his private members club Annabel’s made a “dumb mistake” after staff revolted over the use of more than £70,000 of their pre-Christmas service charge takings to pay managers’ bonuses.Just one table of diners at the exclusive Mayfair venue, which has hosted celebrities, financiers and aristocrats ranging from Kate Moss and Harry Styles to the late queen, can spend more than £10,000 in an evening, according to workers. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
The Tech Download: How Apple's new chief could shake things up
CNBC’s Jon Fortt, who began covering Apple in 2000 when Steve Jobs dropped the “interim” from his CEO title, shared his thoughts on the appointment.
cnbc.com
Iran war, U.S. court’s tariff ruling delays India trade deal — but a bigger risk lies ahead
A delay in signing a trade deal with the U.S. would be expensive for India, as it could be exposed to the risk of higher tariffs under the Section 301 probe.
cnbc.com
Global stock markets are too inflated and will fall, top Bank of England official warns
The Bank of England expects “an adjustment” in equity markets, Sarah Breeden, a deputy governor at the central bank, said in a BBC interview.
bbc.com
How does it affect me if share prices fall?
Changes in the FTSE 100 and other indexes are not just for financial experts, they can affect our lives.
bbc.com
Stock markets are too high and set to fall, says Bank of England deputy
It is unusual for a senior figure at the Bank to be so forthright on market movements.
cnbc.com
China's DeepSeek releases preview of long-awaited V4 model as AI race intensifies
Chinese AI startup DeepSeek has released a preview version of its long awaited V4 large language model.
bbc.com
Meta to cut one in 10 jobs after spending billions on AI
The cuts, which employees had been expecting for weeks, will be Meta's largest layoff since 2023.
theguardian.com
Reform UK asks steel bosses to draft ‘alternative strategy’ for industry
Industry sceptical as Nigel Farage’s party goes on charm offensive to help win over former Labour heartlandsReform UK has asked steel bosses to draw up an “alternative steel strategy” to rival recent government plans, stoking industry fears over a charm offensive by Nigel Farage’s party as it eyes gains in former Labour heartlands.Richard Tice, Reform’s deputy leader, met a group of bosses shortly before Labour announced new steel tariffs in March and commissioned them to draft a competing plan that will include scrapping net zero policies. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
UK stocks are beating Wall Street — but the Iran war is putting the winning streak at risk
The FTSE 100's outperformance of its U.S. counterparts is on shaky ground as the conflict in the Middle East drags on.
theguardian.com
Homes for sale in England with smart storage – in pictures
From a country cottage with double-height bookshelves to a new-build flat in London with ‘period’ panelling hiding tech Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Revealed: UK oil refinery owner moved Russian loans to offshore subsidiary where sanctions did not apply
MPs call for investigation into Essar Energy, owner of Stanlow refinery, which shifted loans from ‘Putin’s piggy bank’ VTB to MauritiusDays after the first wave of Russian tanks surged over the border into Ukraine in March 2022, dockers at a port in northern England took a stand.Appalled by Vladimir Putin’s brutality, workers at Ellesmere Port in Cheshire vowed never to unload any Russian oil destined for the nearby Stanlow refinery, a major hub for UK fuel supplies. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Stocks and shares Isas: are they right for me, and where is best to invest?
Some people are put off by myriad investment options. Here is a guide to the key decisions to help you choose ‘Savvy Squirrel’ ad campaign looks to push Britons towards investingThe UK government is keen to encourage people to invest. If you are thinking of dipping your toe into the stock market, an Isa is often the best way, as it lets you protect any gains from tax. Here’s how to get started. Continue reading...
bbc.com
White House memo claims mass AI theft by Chinese firms
A memo from Michael Kratsios says firms, mainly in China, are wrongfully distilling US AI models.
bbc.com
US soldier charged after winning $400,000 betting on removal of Maduro
Gannon Ken Van Dyke allegedly made trades on Polymarket on the basis of classified information, the justice department says.
bbc.com
From scientist to silk farmer: India's silk industry renewal
Silk production is an increasingly high-tech business in India.
theguardian.com
Microsoft and Meta announce large staff reductions as they spend big on AI
Meta said it would cut 10% of it employees while Microsoft will offer voluntary retirement to about 7% of workersMeta and Microsoft are trimming their workforces by thousands as they make heavy investments in AI and executives claim that the technology is meeting their companies’ productivity needs.Meta told staff on Thursday that on 20 May it would cut some 10% of its personnel – just under 8,000 employees– to boost efficiency, part of a layoff plan made months ago. The company is also closing about 6,000 open roles. The same day, Microsoft announced to employees, for the first time, that it would offer voluntary retirement to about 7% of its American workforce of roughly 125,000. Continue reading...
bbc.com
High street drug dealer sells cannabis to undercover reporter
Across the UK, shopfronts are being exploited by criminal gangs pushing illegal drugs, experts say.
theguardian.com
BP’s chair deserved a kick for his silly obstinacy over shareholder resolution
Albert Manifold and his board refused to put a request from investor group on annual meeting agenda – leading to an investor revoltBP has fresh faces in the boardroom and a rigged strategy: it’s pivoting back to oil and gas and away from its low-carbon assets in an attempt to improve a weak share price. One can agree or disagree with the approach. But it was a silly act of overreach for a newish chair to try to stifle debate on such matters.That, in effect, was what Albert Manifold did when he excluded a resolution for Thursday’s annual meeting from Follow This, a Dutch investor group. The proposal itself cannot be described as explosive. It was pitched in investor-friendly terms and would merely have obliged BP to describe how it would protect shareholder value if demand for oil and gas falls. Nor is Follow This some two-bob outfit within the ranks of climate groups. It was claiming support from investors with $1tn under management. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
The Guardian view on Anthropic’s Claude Mythos: when AI finds every flaw, who controls the internet? | Editorial
Tech can scale cyber-attacks and defences alike, raising questions about private power, public risk and the future of a shared internetAnthropic announced its latest AI model, Claude Mythos, this month but said it would not be released publicly, because it turns computers into crime scenes. The company claimed that it could find previously unknown “zero-day” flaws, exploit them and, in principle, link these weaknesses in order to take over major operating systems and web browsers. Mythos did so autonomously, writing code and obtaining privileges. The implications are significant. It’s like a burglar being able to target any building, get inside, unlock every door and empty every safe.The Silicon Valley company has so far named 40 organisations as partners under Project Glasswing to help mount a defence – asking them to “patch” vulnerabilities before hackers get a chance to exploit them. All are American, sitting at the heart of the US-led digital system. Anthropic shared Mythos with only Britain outside the US, allowing the AI Security Institute to test frontier models. After seeing it up close, British ministers warned: AI is about to make cyber-attacks much easier and faster, and most businesses are not ready. Banks in Europe are likely to test it next.Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
The Guardian view on help to buy: entrenching housing inequalities, rather than helping | Editorial
The Tories’ flagship scheme has aided higher earners most. The latest analysis of its flaws should lead to a rethinkThe results are in. The biggest winners from the Conservatives’ help to buy scheme were high-earners who were already likely to buy a house. The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) examined who benefited from the policy, and concluded that the top 10% of earners received the largest cash benefit. Rather than helping people to buy, it more likely helped the already fortunate to accumulate wealth quicker (by helping them buy earlier, or more expensive properties). Of course, this distorted the market: pushing prices up in some areas, and largely increasing competition rather than supply.That its flagship housing policy accelerated housing and wealth inequalities during a time when the government insisted deep cuts to public finances were needed is not just shocking – it underlines how deep the Tory project of redistribution went. In the 12 years to 2022-23, net spending by councils on housing, per person, was cut by 35%, while spending on planning and development was cut by a third – but clearly there was some cash to go around.Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Ben Jennings on the Met’s interest in using Palantir AI technology – cartoon
Discover and buy more of Ben’s cartoons hereOrder your own print of this cartoon from the Guardian Print Shop Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Lockheed Martin CEO sees Trump’s Pentagon as ‘golden opportunity’ for growth
Jim Taiclet spoke in earnings call as company expands contracts with the US government amid the Iran warLockheed Martin’s CEO has called the Trump administration a “golden opportunity” for the company as it expands its contracting work for the federal government amid the conflict in the Middle East.In an earnings call on Thursday covering the first quarter of 2026, Lockheed Martin CEO Jim Taiclet told investors that the company is well positioned “based on more available resources for us”. Continue reading...
bbc.com
What are my rights if my flight is cancelled or delayed?
We look at the different circumstances that affect you if you're due a refund for cancelled or delayed flights.
bbc.com
Warner Bros shareholders approve Paramount's $111bn takeover
The approval came as Donald Trump is to attend a dinner with billionaire Paramount backers the Ellisons.
bbc.com
What the Warner Bros deal could mean for streaming, cinemas and news
If Paramount's takeover of Warner Bros goes ahead it could significantly reshape Hollywood.
theguardian.com
Campaign launched to reunite young Britons with forgotten savings accounts
HMRC is contacting 21-year-olds as part of a new awareness drive around lost child trust funds, with an average balance of £2,200Rather than demanding money, HMRC is giving it away for once with a new campaign to reunite thousands of young Britons with forgotten savings accounts typically containing £2,200.HM Revenue and Customs is contacting 21-year-olds as part of a new awareness drive around lost child trust funds (CTF) – the tax-free savings accounts set up for children born between September 2002 and January 2011. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Europe's summer travel is on the line as airlines' jet fuel supply dwindles
Europe faces jet fuel shortages as the Middle East supply is cut off. Airlines may have to cut flights and raise fares ahead of peak summer travel.
bbc.com
Asbestos toy warnings
Asbestos toy warnings
bbc.com
UK borrowing lowest for three years but Iran war clouds outlook
The improvement in government finances is unlikely to last, analysts say, with the impact of the Iran way yet to hit.
bbc.com
Four arrested over suspected home insulation scheme fraud
The Serious Fraud Office raided homes and businesses over alleged conspiracy to defraud public money.
theguardian.com
Footage purportedly shows Iranian forces seize two vessels in the strait of Hormuz - video
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards released footage purportedly showing its forces seizing two vessels in the strait of Hormuz and escorting them to Iranian shores. Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency said the two ships attempted 'to exit the strait of Hormuz covertly'. The White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said President Donald Trump did not consider the capture of the ships to be a violation of the US-Iran ceasefire because the vessels were not American or Israeli• Middle East crisis – live updates Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Bibby Stockholm asylum barge contractor admits overcharging UK government £118m
Australia’s Corporate Travel Management is ‘negotiating commercial arrangements’ to refund the moneyThe Australian company that ran the Bibby Stockholm asylum barge has admitted it overcharged the British government by £118m.Corporate Travel Management (CTM) said its auditor had found evidence of “erroneous billing” of its UK clients, increasing its estimate of how much it owes the government by £40m. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Asos demands £7m from US as firms rush to claim tariff refunds
Hundreds of thousands of firms could potentially win back some money after the tariffs were struck down.
theguardian.com
Starmer urged to bring in ticket-touting ban as resellers target Big Weekend
Industry groups dismayed at hints policy will not be in king’s speech, as touts make huge sums from BBC Radio 1 eventKeir Starmer has been urged to honour his pledge to ban ticket touting, amid fears that the policy will be left out of next month’s king’s speech, potentially costing fans “hundreds of millions”.Music industry groups called on the prime minister to act as fresh evidence showed that professional ticket “traders” had targeted BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend next month, making huge mark-ups through sites such as Viagogo and StubHub. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
What would a permanent ‘Tehran’s tollbooth’ on oil mean for the world?
Iran’s plan to extract a $2m payment from tankers using the strait of Hormuz could raise costs for years to comeA second round of peace talks between the US and Iran has begun amid renewed attacks on oil tankers in the strait of Hormuz and a US blockade on Iranian vessels through the crucial trade route.The future of this narrow waterway – and curbs on Iran’s nuclear programme – are at the centre of the talks after Tehran’s de facto blockade on oil and gas tankers via the strait pushed up energy prices. Continue reading...
bbc.com
AI is already leading to fewer jobs for young people, says Sunak
The former prime minister said graduates' concerns about getting entry-level jobs are justified.
theguardian.com
Iran war pushing up till price of some drugs by up to 30%, pharmacies warn
Chemists in England say cost of painkillers like paracetamol and hay fever treatments has jumped since FebruaryThe war in Iran has pushed up the price of widely used medicines in England, including painkillers and hay fever medication, leading pharmacists have warned.Community chemists are charging customers 20-30% more for paracetamol than they did in February, according to the National Pharmacy Association (NPA), and many have run out of certain strengths of aspirin and co-codamol. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Watch: BBC goes undercover at mini-mart selling drugs
BBC UK editor Ed Thomas confronts a shopkeeper secretly filmed selling cannabis and cocaine to one of our researchers.
bbc.com
High Street mini-marts selling cocaine, cannabis and prescription drugs, BBC secret filming reveals
Across the UK, shopfronts are being exploited by criminal gangs pushing illegal drugs, experts say.
theguardian.com
To be human is to live with friction. That’s something AI boosters will never understand | Alexander Hurst
We’re being sold a world where there’s no room for reflection or spontaneity. This is the Black Mirror stage of capitalismHow fast do you have to strike a match to get it to light? Not the chemistry of the ignition, but the actual speed, in metres per second, that the little piece of wood and its bulbous head have to move to spark the chain reaction behind the flame.It was a question born of insomnia. And there, in the dark, I did the thing you’re not supposed to do, if your goal is to fall back asleep: I opened my phone. Before I knew it, 3am had become 5am. I learned about the composition of the friction strip (red phosphorus, pulverized glass), and of the match head (potassium chlorate, antimony trisulphide, wax), and that a safety match struck against anything else will not light. I found slow-motion videos of a match strike captured at 3,500 frames per second. But nothing about the speed.Alexander Hurst writes for Guardian Europe from Paris. His memoir Generation Desperation is out now Continue reading...
cnbc.com
CEO of Southeast Asia’s largest bank shares what keeps her up at night
For DBS CEO Tan Su Shan, the biggest risk keeping her up at night is not just market volatility or geopolitical shocks, but cyberattacks.
cnbc.com
Step aside Tesla, BYD: Japanese carmakers deepen their hold on India's auto market with hybrids
In the world's third-largest auto market, demand for hybrid cars is racing ahead of EVs, deepening the hold of Japanese carmakers in India.
theguardian.com
The ‘big durian’: one day in Jakarta, the world’s largest city
The UN has officially designated Jakarta the world’s largest city, home to 42 million. We explore a day in the life of the ‘big durian’.In December, the United Nations officially designated Jakarta the world’s largest city, hosting a staggering 42 million inhabitants. Michael Neilson speaks to several people who call the ‘big durian’ home – about the positives and the negatives – and how community and the city’s infamously dry humour get them through. Continue reading...
bbc.com
How a pivot to hair accessories led to business success
Jenny Lennick's colourful hair clips are sold across the US and around the world.
theguardian.com
Yes, retail investment needs a boost – but the squirrel looks too tame | Nils Pratley
Ambition behind investing campaign is laudable, yet cutting stamp duty on share purchases, for example, would be much more savvyCity firms bank on ‘savvy’ ad campaign to push Brits towards investingRed squirrel characters have a history in the public information game. Older UK readers may recall Tufty, who taught children about road safety in the 1970s. His chum, Willy Weasel, regularly got knocked down by passing cars but clever Tufty always remembered to look both ways.Now comes Savvy Squirrel, who, with backing from the chancellor and a multi-year lump of advertising spend from the financial services industry, will try “to drive a step-change in how investing is understood, discussed and adopted”, as the blurb puts it. In translation: don’t squirrel everything away in a boring cash Isa but try taking an investment risk or two if you value your long-term financial health. Continue reading...
bbc.com
China weathered Trump's tariffs - but the Iran war is taking a toll
The Middle East conflict is putting pressure on factory orders, costs and jobs in China's export-driven economy.
bbc.com
Billionaire backer sues Trump family's crypto firm over alleged extortion
Billionaire investor Justin Sun is suing the family's World Liberty crypto venture after spending $45m on its tokens.
bbc.com
Inflation: What do price increases mean for you?
Prices went up by 3.3% in March, but what does that mean for you asks the BBC's Colletta Smith.
theguardian.com
Strait of Hormuz is hosting gunboat diplomacy as US and Iran vie for most effective blockade
Iran’s goal is to maintain chokehold on the global economy, even as some say it could run out of oil storage by SundayDonald Trump’s indefinite shelving of the plan to bomb Iran’s bridges and power stations on Tuesday night is being widely described as leaving the conflict in limbo, but that is anything but the truth.Pakistan insists the prospect of talks in Islamabad has not evaporated, and positive messages are still being exchanged, but in the meantime the site of kinetic activity has switched from land to sea. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
What is Mythos AI and why could it be a threat to global cybersecurity?
Anthropic’s decision to restrict access to its powerful new model increases fears about the advanced technologyAnthropic has ruled out releasing its latest AI model, Claude Mythos, to the public because of the threat it poses to global cybersecurity.However, the US tech startup behind the Claude chatbot confirmed on Wednesday it was investigating a report that a group of people had gained unauthorised access to Mythos. The alleged incident has raised concerns over the pace of development and the ability of tech companies to keep their riskiest products out of the public domain. Here, we examine Mythos and its potential impact. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Lufthansa cuts 20,000 summer flights as fuel prices surge
The airline is the latest to cut flights as the US-Israel war with Iran sends jet fuel prices soaring.
cnbc.com
AI hardware, real assets and an EM play: 4 investment strategies from the studio
Guests in CNBC's London and Singapore studios weigh in as an extension to the U.S.-Iran ceasefire dominates investor sentiment.
theguardian.com
‘A well-known secret’: inside Toronto’s violent tow truck wars
A string of violent incidents, including shootings and trucks set on fire, has been linked to Toronto’s towing industryWhen Cameron moved his family to a suburb north of Toronto last year, neighbours told him it one of the safest streets in the area. The roads were lined with cream-brick houses and manicured lawns. In summer, kids played between driveways; in winter, they dug tunnels through snowbanks.But any hope of a peaceful life on Allison Ann Way was shattered when a house across the street was shot at four times in five months. The most recent attack came in early February, as Cameron was leaving for work. Moments after his children had headed out for school, gunfire tore into the neighbour’s garage and a dark SUV sped off. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
How Bolivia’s cacao farmers took on the gold-mining industry – and won
As rising gold prices fuel environmental destruction, communities in the country’s biodiverse heartland are passing laws against mining Mahogany trees tower above Herminio Mamani as he tends his cacao farm in Bolivia’s biodiverse north-west. A former president of El Ceibo, the country’s largest organic cacao co-operative, he says the agroforestry model used by its 1,300 members is vital not only to maintain the quality of the cacao they grow, which is used for chocolate and other products, but also for keeping gold mining at bay.“We cacao producers would never kill an animal here,” he says, parrots squawking nearby. “The parcels [of land] can never be monocultures – all the crops grow together.” Continue reading...
bbc.com
Three ways the latest inflation figures affect you
How high could inflation get? And what could it mean for borrowers and savers around the country?
bbc.com
McDonald's boss on abuse claims: 'I don't want to talk about the past'
A BBC investigation in 2023 heard from more than 100 McDonald's workers in the UK claiming they faced sexual assault, harassment, racism, and bullying
theguardian.com
‘Get back to work’: Amazon faces fresh scrutiny over workplace safety record
Workers and labor advocates say the company’s injury rates and how it treats injured staff remain a problemAmazon, one of the world’s largest employers, has for years faced scrutiny over its safety record. When Billy Foister, a 48-year-old worker, died after a heart attack inside one of the tech giant’s warehouses in September 2019, managers were accused of telling staff to “get back to work”.When another worker died this month at a distribution center in Troutdale, Oregon, an Amazon spokesperson claimed they had collapsed from an “existing medical issue”. They denied a report that a nearby employee was told: “Please get back to work.” Continue reading...
bbc.com
UK inflation rises after Iran war pushes up fuel prices
The figures provide the first official look at the impact of the Iran war on the cost of living in the UK.
theguardian.com
#ToddlerSkincare: the ‘dark and exploitative’ world of children’s beauty videos on TikTok
Skincare videos are featuring children as young as two, Guardian analysis finds, prompting fears about the industry’s reach and lack of safeguards‘An element of exploitation’: the world of TikTok child skincare influencersChildren as young as two are appearing in TikTok videos demonstrating their skincare routines, a Guardian investigation has found, raising concerns about the beauty industry’s reach and the lack of safeguards for child influencers.The research found that 400 TikTok videos out of the 7,600 skincare-related posts analysed featured routines or advice presented by children believed to be under 13. At least 90 of these posts featured under-fives, including babies and toddlers. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
The security report the UK government doesn’t want you to see – podcast
Fiona Harvey tells Nosheen Iqbal why the climate crisis is a threat to national security“Last October, I and other journalists got quite excited because we thought that we were going to be attending a great event at the Natural History Museum,” the Guardian’s environment editor Fiona Harvey tells Nosheen Iqbal.“We had been told that there was a major report being launched at this event. And this report was going to come not just from where you’d expect – from the government’s environment department – but also from the joint intelligence committee, and they are the UK’s spy chiefs, MI5, MI6, the intelligence agencies. And they were taking an interest in the climate and biodiversity and the threats that they pose to the UK’s national security.” Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Kevin Warsh accused of being Trump's 'sock puppet' as senators grill Fed chair nominee – video
During Warsh's confirmation hearing, Democratic senator Elizabeth Warren expressed concerns that Federal Reserve nominee would become a 'sock puppet' for Donald Trump. Republican senator John Kennedy also asked Warsh to deny he would be the president's 'sock puppet', which he did Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Four key takeaways from Apple’s change of leadership
Analysts say next boss John Ternus should diversify tech giant away from iPhones and raise its game in AIJohn Ternus takes over from Tim Cook as chief executive of Apple in September. A company insider, Ternus is moving up from his role as head of engineering to take control of the entire $4tn (£3tn) business.Apple is a vast, successful tech company and one of the most recognised brands in the world. But it faces challenges nonetheless. Here is a look at Ternus’s in-tray. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Kevin Warsh: Trump’s ideal choice to push Fed to cut interest rates
Former Wall Street banker faces questions at confirmation hearing – but his biggest backer is also his biggest liabilityOn the face of it, Kevin Warsh looks like an ideal candidate to chair the Federal Reserve, the world’s most important central bank. The 56-year-old Ivy League economist, former Wall Street banker and presidential adviser ticks all the boxes. Unfortunately for Warsh, as he faces what could be a fraught nomination hearing, his biggest backer is also his biggest liability.In his second term, Donald Trump has attacked the Fed in a manner both unprecedented and unseemly. He has called current chair Jerome Powell – whom he also appointed – a “jerk” and “a stubborn MORON”, and repeatedly threatened to fire him. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘It’s a big loss’: what happens when a beautiful village loses its bus stop?
Mousehole in Cornwall once had a butcher, a post office and a general store. Now, it doesn’t even have an ATM – and one of its crucial bus services has been cut short. Can residents save this vital resource?It’s early April and the sun is shining over Mousehole, Cornwall, as an older couple trudge up the hill to their nearest bus stop before sinking into two of the plastic chairs that have been lined up on the side of the road. Until recently, buses would come right to the centre of the fishing village, the couple are soon explaining to a pair of Australian tourists also waiting for the bus. But when the bus route was taken over by the Go-Ahead transport group in February, the small, ice-cream-van-like buses that had been used by the previous bus company, First Bus, were swapped for full-size buses – some of them double deckers – that wouldn’t be safe to drive through Mousehole’s narrow streets. So the route, which has been taking passengers down to the harbour since the 1920s, was cut short, and now ends at the edge of the village.You don’t have to spend long in Mousehole, described as “the loveliest village in England” by the Welsh poet Dylan Thomas, to learn of residents’ dismay over this change. “Save Our Stop” flyers have been stuck in the windows of houses and businesses, while a banner adorns the railing next to where the old stop used to be, inviting passersby to sign the petition to have it reinstated and “make Mousehole accessible to all again” – a petition that now has more than 5,000 signatures. Continue reading...
bbc.com
The 'dumb machine' promising a clean energy breakthrough
A stellarator is difficult to build, but could it be the best way to make fusion energy work?
bbc.com
Are insider traders making millions from the Iran war?
The BBC has found suspicious trading patterns that correlate with some of the president's most market-moving statements.
bbc.com
Why your recycled clothes could end up in this South American desert
Old garments from around the world are being discarded in the South American country.
bbc.com
Scammers are becoming ever more sophisticated - this is what the fightback looks like
Scams have exploded over the last few years. Can countries and companies come together to turn the tables on the scammers?
bbc.com
Could a digital twin make you into a 'superworker'?
Firms say digital twins make staff more productive, but are they a potential legal minefield?
bbc.com
Back to books - Sweden's schools cutting back on digital learning
Swedish classrooms swap laptops for books, pens and paper, raising concerns from the tech sector.
bbc.com
Quantum computing: A tech race Europe could win?
With some promising computing companies in the field, could Europe be a leader in quantum tech?
bbc.com
The Dutch village at risk of being demolished
Moerdijk has been earmarked for removal, to make way for a vast electricity substation.
bbc.com
'Every drop of water counts': Fear for the future of Argentina's glaciers
A controversial law to ease protections for the glaciers has passed, opening the doors for mining.
bbc.com
TV for dogs booms but are they watching?
TV channels for dogs are multiplying but research is mixed on whether dogs are watching.
bbc.com
The construction boss who built a new life after three years in prison
Traci Quinn, who was jailed for a drugs offence, has transformed herself and set up a successful firm.
bbc.com
The US refinery now processing Venezuelan oil
Chevron is now importing 250,000 barrels of crude per day from Venezuela.
bbc.com
The £5.30 orange juice that tells the story of why supermarket prices are sky high
Butter, chocolate, coffee and milk have all seen prices rocket. Tracing back through the story of one particular supermarket staple begins to explain why
bbc.com
Prepare for turbulence - how a prolonged Middle East conflict could reshape how we fly
The Gulf's hub airports made long-distance travel cheaper - but now their future looks unclear.
bbc.com
Sir John Curtice: Why Labour's Brexit focus has shifted from Leavers to Remainers
Will the pursuit of a closer relationship with the EU risk courting electoral disaster by alienating Brexit-backing voters?
bbc.com
The real impact of roadworks on the country - and why they're set to get worse
There is a fine balance between the benefits of improved infrastructure, versus the cost of disruption. Does the country have it right?
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